While the Archbishop [of Santiago] was in Braga with the men we have already named, and they were spread out across the land to rob and do all the harm that they could, they held a council to discuss how they might make war as safely as they could, and with the most honour. Some report that they said to each other: ‘Let's go to Oporto, which is 8 leagues from here, and lay siege to it on one side. Let's establish our camp at the Olival Gate, and in a few days we will take the city, because there is no one inside it to fight against us, nor does it have the strength to defend itself.’

When the archbishop heard this, replied: ‘I am not of that opinion, for two reasons: one, because it is a city of many people, who can defend it well; the other, because it is a seaport, which can get help in many ways if such a thing [as an attack] occurred. Instead, it seems to me that it will be better for us not to get very close, but rather to patrol around it at a distance of 2 leagues and hence cut off its supplies. Since they are not mounted, they cannot come and do us any harm; meanwhile, they will be using up what they have. Perhaps by this means they will change to our side, with no further harm to us. Since the greater part of the kingdom is for Castile, the rebellion of Lisbon and this city, and a few other towns that are loyal to the Master, cannot possibly last long. Surely they will see that it is futile for them to persist in defending their cause, and they will do anything that the king, our liege lord, and his wife the queen may command them. I say to you that this would be my advice.’ All the Galicians and Castilians who were there agreed to this.

But the renegade Portuguese who were there, especially Lope Gómez de Lira with his relatives and friends, said to the archbishop: ‘My lord, let us go forward by all means; we have no reason to fear those who live in the city: they are only men of the city community, and there is no good leadership among them.